Of Nightmares and Daydreams
by The Mad Traveler
Summary: The Mystery Twins return to Gravity Falls the summer they're 18 to find out how different the never-changing town is. There will be many old friends... if you can call them friends. [Dipper, Pacifica] Rated T because that's what I always rate them. TW: MENTIONS OF ABUSE, SOME VIOLENCE.
1. Chapter 1

The Pines twins came back to Gravity Falls the summer they were eighteen. They had officially graduated high school. They hadn't been to Gravity Falls for two years (they snuck out and went when they were 16 and they only got to stay for a few weeks before their parents had found them).

Both twins had really missed their Grunkle, but their parents didn't want them to go back to Gravity Falls. No matter what the twins said, they weren't allowed.

Mabel missed Candy and Grenda despite facetiming them every single night, sometimes twice on weekends.

Dipper had missed Wendy and Soos, but most of all, he missed Pacifica Northwest.

He'd tried to forget about her, but it wasn't that easy. It wasn't like she was the only girl to notice him or anything, either. He'd hit a major growth spurt when he turned fourteen, and grown a few more inches from there. He was a full six feet tall now, and Mabel, the so called alpha twin, was stuck at 5'8. He'd only grown a couple inches since he was sixteen, but he had noticeably grown up in those two years.

By the time he had last seen Pacifica, he was considered a catch at home, or so Mabel said. Only problem was he didn't notice any of it.

He was painfully oblivious.

Pacifica had been stunned by how much he'd grown up in four years. He was equally speechless. She'd cut her hair short, and tended to wear more comfortable clothes. When he'd seen her in an old Mystery Shack t-shirt and torn skinny jeans, he'd been shocked silent. Not to mention she had started doing her makeup to look more natural. She had been pretty when they were twelve, but she was absolutely stunning at sixteen.

They talked every day. Texted when they could. She spent most of her time at the Mystery Shack now, desperate to get away from her parents. When she was at home, she tried to keep quiet, dress like they would want, do her makeup in a way she hated but her mom adored. Then when she got to the shack she would change it all. She even kept makeup and clothes there.

She took her parents' cruel words and almost never cried when they hit her anymore. She was stronger because of the Pines family.

Plus she and Wendy hung out all the time now. It helps to have a close friend nearby.

She'd been terrified when Dipper and Mabel first left and Stanford had still wanted to shut down the Mystery Shack. She had been right there with Stan, Wendy, and Soos in the argument.

It had seemed that Stanford would win, and everything would be different until Pacifica offered to pay for a new shack for him to live in nearby so he could do all of his experiments and nothing would change. He wasn't going to agree, but then she offered to get him all sorts of new equipment. What's the point of being rich if you can't protect the things that are important to you?

So Stanford lives a little way away and only really comes over to do research. When her parents found out that she'd given the _Pines_ money, her father beat her almost as bad as when she let everyone into that party.

She didn't regret it.

As soon as she could she got out of the house and over to the Mystery Shack. Stan and Wendy helped her with the bruises and Soos tried to cheer her up. She'd broken down crying. Stan was furious, but the then thirteen year old girl told him to calm down. If he'd gone to the mansion, everything would fall apart.

He knew what it was like to have your parents turn on you, but not like this. Pacifica had grown up with this. The whole loving and caring family dynamic that the Pines had shown her was all new and there were times when she would freak out thinking she had done something wrong when she hadn't.

Stan had taken her under his wing, and Ford had been kinda thrown off by it. He didn't see his twin as a caring father figure at all.

And yet that's what he had become.

Ford had stayed distant from them for two reasons, he wanted to keep everyone safe and the tight knit family didn't seem to have room for him. Not to mention after 30 years in an alternate universe, his people skills were rusty.


	2. Chapter 2

"You ready, bro-bro?" Mabel asks her twin.

"As ready as I'll ever be. It's been a long time."

The Pines twins sit in their car just outside the Gravity Falls city limits. Neither have set foot in that town for two years.

"Candy and Grenda said it hasn't changed at all, so that's good." Dipper sits silent for a moment. "Are you scared to see her again, Dipper?" her voice both teasing and curious.

"No!" Mabel gives him a look. "Okay, maybe."

"Dipper, it's not like she's going to hate you! You talk allllllllllll the time."

"But-"

"-No, shut up. You're gonna be fine!"

Dipper nods and starts the car. Both take a deep breath as they pull into the town.

Wendy stops short when she sees who's getting out of the car that just pulled up. "Mr. Pines! Paz!" she shouts, not looking away from the window for a second.

Pacifica walks into the shop part of the shack. She looks at the 21 year old for a beat before glancing out the window and suddenly feeling very much like her legs are going to give out.

"What are you two-?" Stan's gruff voice starts to ask as he walks into the room. Seeing two girls staring out the window, he slows to a stop. "What?"

Neither answer, both too stunned.

Pacifica takes in Dipper Pines. He's only a little taller than the last time she saw him, easily six feet now. He looks much more grown up, though. His hair's still curly and a little wild and he's wearing his old Mystery Shack hat. His long worn jeans and baggy t-shirt are both very Dipper. He has stubble on his chin, now too. He's tall and lanky and she's so very happy to see him.

Then her attention turns to one of her best friends, Mabel Pines. She's the same height she was (5'8). Her hair is still super long and a few strands are in her face. There's a pink streak on one side and there's a sticker on her cheek. She's a good bit curvier than Pacifica. She's wearing cut off jean shorts and a paint spattered t-shirt. The outfit is completed with flip flops and dangly feather earrings.

Finally, Pacifica starts to move. She flies out the door and Dipper turns just in time to see her coming. He catches her when she jumps at him, almost getting knocked to the ground.

"Hey, Paz!" he laughs.

She's laughing as he spins her around in the air for a minute before putting her down. She punches his shoulder, still laughing as she says, "I missed you!"

"I missed you too," he says almost shyly, looking at the ground. She hugs him again.

"Oh hey, Paz. Yeah, I missed you too," Mabel says sarcastically.

Pacifica proceeds to launch herself at Mabel, laughing and the two girls squeeze the life out of each other. "I _did_ miss you! Like a ton!"

Dipper play shudders, "Valley girls, the most terrifying creatures- Ow!" He's interrupted by Pacifica punching him in the shoulder.

"I am not a valley girl," she assures him playfully, but somehow she makes it sound like a threat.

He puts his hands up, "Okay, okay. You're not a valley girl."

Mabel laughs, "Can you teach me how to do that?! Because he never gives up that easily when it's me!"

"Of course." As she says this Dipper turns to start toward the Mystery Shack only to see that a plaid-wearing redhead and a tricky old man with an eyepatch are leaning against the door.

The twins both grin and Mabel runs to hug Stan. Dipper sighs and starts grabbing Mabel's three overnight bags and two suitcases. He looks at Pacifica, and rolls his eyes. She laughs at him as he tries to carry it all to the shack.

"Dipper, hold on. Let me carry one of those," she says. He looks her over, before warning her that the bags are heavy. She takes one and shoulders it, and then grabs the handle of his suitcase.

"Wait, no, don't get both," he says. Moving to take back the bag, but she dodges him.

"You have way more! I can handle it," she laughs.

"But-"

"Dipper. Shut up." She raises one eyebrow at him and he frowns. She starts walking past him and realizes how light his suitcase is. "Dude, there's like nothing in your bag. And gah, what's in Mabel's?"

"I didn't need much, and I told you to let me carry it!" He finishes trying to grab the bag, but again she dodges him, laughing.

"And I said I could handle it!"

"I'm trying to be a gentleman!"

She laughs at him. "If it makes you feel better, you can hold the door open for me?"

He just mutters something she can't hear.

The door is closed when they get to it, but Pacifica runs to open it for him.

"Paz!"

She's laughing so hard she can't breathe. Any witty comments she had are lost. He just grumbles and drags his sister's stuff inside.

Stan turns to look at him, and chuckles when he sees how much stuff he's carrying. The face Dipper directs at his Grunkle makes it clear that everything he's dragging behind him, is his twin's. Of course, this only makes Stan laugh harder.


	3. Chapter 3

Once Dipper finishes dragging all of his sister's bags to the attic at his grunkle's instructions, they all settle in the living room. Old Ducktective reruns are quietly playing as a background of the animated conversations of the past two years. Mabel talks with her hands while telling stories and Dipper interjects with corrections to her exaggerations.

At some point in Mabel's excited summary of the past two years, she goes off on a tangent about what a chick magnet Dipper has become.

"She's making that up," Dipper says almost automatically.

"I keep telling you, it's true, you just don't notice!"

"And I keep telling you, it's not true, you're just mental."

The evidently old argument makes Stan smile slightly. He's missed having them around.

"Dipper, for the love of glitter, those girls all liked you!"

"Then how come-"

"Oh my gosh, Dipper, Lindsey does not even count!"

Pacifica stiffens when they mention a specific name. Her heart sinks slightly when she sees Dipper flinch at the name, as if that name alone hurt him.

Before Pacifica gets a chance to ask, Wendy does. "Lindsey?"

"Oh, Dipper had this _huuuuge_ crush on this girl named Lindsey, but then when he got up the nerve to ask her to this dance, she said no when he was like halfway through the question. It seriously hurt his pride and he's convinced that every other girl feels the same way about him, but, like, she doesn't even count. She was a jerk. Like major jerk."

"Mabel!"

"What?" she asks innocently.

He just sighs and hides his face behind his hands to try and hide the fact that he's blushing.

Pacifica smiles to hide the disappointment that maybe he doesn't like her the way she wants him to. She realizes that she probably doesn't know him like she thought she did.

The catching up continues on for another hour or so. There's a small ache in Pacifica's chest that she can't seem to make go away.

Ford opens the door slightly, but when he hears the familiar voices of his niece and nephew he takes a step back. Memories of the summer six years prior flash through his mind. He'd been growing closer to the twins, but then Bill attacked.

He shakes his head to distract himself from the guilt and fear that always come back with those memories. He hears laughter and a small smile plays with the corner of his mouth and he quickly dismisses the idea of walking inside. He turns and returns to the place that the Northwest girl paid for. The place he wishes he didn't need. The place he wouldn't need if he'd been more careful.

He shakes his head.

Dipper walks into the attic he and his sister are still sharing to see that Mabel has put up a curtain that looks suspiciously like one of her old thick sheet things she uses to cover the floors when she paints. This one's a cream color and it's splattered with paint and glitter. She cut a slit up one side and has three different ribbons tying it shut every couple feet so it acts as a door. It's held up by a few of those clear hanging hooks (the kind from tv that are glued to the wall) that she carries with her.

The whole setup of her half of the room is very Mabel. Her suitcases are lying haphazardly around her bed, some open, some not. She already has half-finished sweaters hanging on the curtain.

Dipper's side of them room doesn't even have sheets on the bed yet. His suitcase is leaning on the leg of the bed, but that's all.

He opens his suitcase to find his toothbrush and pajamas (which consist of a t-shirt and sweatpants). The twins get ready for bed quickly, and Mabel falls into a comatose like state for the next seven to eight hours.

Dipper tries to read, but finds his thoughts continually wandering back to a certain blonde that'd gone home an hour earlier.

Pacifica stares at her ceiling irritably.

It's 2am and for some reason, she can't seem to fall asleep. In fact she hasn't even yawned in over an hour.

The afternoon won't stop replaying in her mind, and with it come the doubts and fears that love to haunt during hours like these.

She tosses and turns all night, her mind is filled with thoughts about how maybe she'll never be good enough.

At about 3am, the first silent tear slips down her face, falling in her hair. For the next two hours or so she lays in silence with the tears still coming.


	4. Chapter 4

Dipper Pines is already up at five thirty. He's never been a heavy sleeper like his sister. He's already pulled on a pair of old jeans and an old t-shirt. He makes his way down the stairs, avoiding every spot that squeaks, then padding into the kitchen in his socks.

He's rummaging through the mostly empty fridge and deciding to find out if the diner is still open, when he hears the front door open. He glances around the kitchen to see if there are any potential weapons just in case. Before he can find anything useful, a very tired Pacifica Northwest walks straight into him.

She stumbles back, her eyes wide. "Dipper?"

"Morning, Paz."

She frowns, closing her eyes for a moment. "Sorry… I- I didn't… I couldn't sleep last night…" she mumbles.

He frowns slightly. "Uh, you want anything to eat?" he offers lamely.

She shakes her head, "I'm just gonna go change…. Thanks though."

He glances at the overly fancy outfit she has on and the heavy makeup that's a little smeared, but he can't tell why.

"No one else is up. I was about to go to Lazy Susan's, but I can wait for you, if you'd like?"

She pauses, turning back slightly to look at him. "Uh… yeah. Sure." She attempts a tired smile.

About twenty minutes later, Pacifica materializes in the kitchen doorway, arms wrapped tightly around her middle. She's wearing old torn skinny jeans and a faded Fall Out Boy t-shirt. Her hair's down, and her makeup is much more natural. She traded her heels, for flip flops, showing her lake foam colored toes.

Dipper takes her in for a moment before he actually starts moving to the door. He holds it open for her with a goofy grin.

"You're an idiot," she laughs, her smile reaching her eyes.

They sit down in a mostly clean but still slightly sticky booth in the small diner once they get there. Both of them order plain pancakes, but while Dipper skips syrup, Pacifica drowns hers.

The two of them eat in silence, stealing glances at each other, and hoping they don't make any eye contact. Pacifica looks up at Dipper as she stuff the last bite of pancake into her mouth. Syrup dripped down her chin right as Dipper looks up at her. He grins, and she turns bright pink as he leans across the table with a napkin. He stares at the napkin while he wipes the sticky substance off of her chin, but as his thumb brushes her lower lip, he glances up.

He holds eye contact with her for what feels like hours, before he grins goofily and plops back into his seat.

Long after sunset, when the ghostly pale moon is watching over the lonely souls, a girl jolts awake with a scream escaping her lips. The terrified sound echoes in the empty halls of the darkened house, and she sits, her gasps for air shaking her sweat soaked body, her heart thundering in her ears. Her eyes close briefly, knocking a tear loose, which dances across pale skin, and sparkles before dripping off her chin and falling to the mess of sheets tangled around her legs. Shaking hands wipe the trail left behind away.

When she can't seem to calm her heartbeat, she dives for the phone sitting on her night stand. Her mind only working far enough ahead to dial his number, not bothering to check the time, or consider any consequences.

She just needs his calm voice to bring her back towards sanity. She just needs him, and that's all she knows in the darkness of her cold room.

Dipper Pines is awoken from his half-sleep state on the roof of the Mystery Shack by the sound of his phone ringing. When he sees that it's 2:54 in the morning and Pacifica Northwest is calling him, he wakes up completely.

"Paz?"

A relieved, but shaky sigh comes from the other end. After a moment of hesitation, she manages a soft "Hey."

"What's wrong?" A million different scenarios fly through his head, none of them good.

"I just needed to hear someone's voice," she mumbled, her almost defeated voice setting off alarms in his mind.

"Pacifica, what happened?" His concern growing every second.

"Nothing… Just a nightmare that I can't remember now… Sorry, I just… I needed to hear your voice." Her voice shakes, like she's about to shatter.

"It's okay. Everything's okay," he assures softly.

"I woke you," she murmurs. It isn't quite a question, but not completely certain because his sleeping patterns aren't normal either.

"Nah, I was just in a stare really. Just sitting here on the roof… Actually, it's probably good that you got me out of the stare, I could've fallen or something." He expected a laugh or a sarcastic comment from her, but none came. "Paz?"

He hears what sounds like muffled sobbing, and the worry grows.

"Pacifica?"

"I'm so tired of being afraid of them…" she whispers brokenly and it feels like something inside of him breaks.

"Then leave." The certainty in his words shocks him. They sit a few moments in silence.

"What?" she finally manages.

"Just leave them. Get out of there."

"Dipper, I don't have anywhere to go." She says it like she needs him to prove to her that she can get out.

"What about here?"

"Dipper-"

And suddenly he feels this overwhelming need to convince her to stay with him- them. "You'd be safer here. I mean Stan has about ten different guns, and you'd never be alone."

"Dipper, I can't do that."

"Why not?!"

"Because I can't just move in there! I'm sure you people get enough of me anyway already, I mean I'm over there all the time."

"Exactly."

"Dipper, stop."

"Why?"

"Because it's impossible!"

"How do you know that?!"

"They would find me! Don't you realize that? The shack would be the first place they look!"

"I- We'd protect you!"

"It wouldn't be me needing protection, Dipper! They could destroy your whole family with a few words! Don't you get it?! You can't possibly win! They own this town, and they have the power to ruin anyone in it!"

"I'm not afraid of them."

"But you should be. You should be terrified. Dipper, this isn't like one of the monsters in the journals. They're unpredictable, and they don't have a weakness."

"I don't care."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not going to let you get hurt anymore."

"Dipper-"

"Just get out of there when you can, we'll figure out the rest later."

"Alright."

He hangs up the phone and looks at the sky. "How am I going to keep her safe?"

"I have a few ideas!"

Dipper Pines freezes at the familiar voice that has been living in his nightmares for years. He turns toward the voice, fear filling his eyes.

"Bill."

 **And here it is! My very first Gravity Falls fanfiction! This was all one chapter, but I'm still having problems uploading new docs. I use copy and paste, and if I try to submit something a certain size, it won't let me.**

 **Oh, well.**

 **I finally got a tumblr, guys! I'll probably be reblogging a lot of fandom stuff, posting small parts of my stories, and hopefully writing prompts for one shots anyone sends me. Keep in mind the prompts will have to be for pairings I ship because I'm not going to write something if I don't ship it. Sorry...**

 **I'm just going to say it here, Bill will not be paired with** ** _anyone_** **in this story** ** _ever_** **. If you ship Bill with anyone, good for you. I have nothing against you, but I don't ship it. At all.**

 **I'm not anti-Bill or anything, in fact, I absolutely love him as a villain. I love that he's purely psychotic and unredeemable, and I will be writing him just like that. I love the character, I just don't ship him with anyone.**

 **Follow me on tumblr: the - madtraveler (no spaces)**

 **With love and lots of sarcasm,**

 **SJ**


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